Intro: EmEmD
Wade into the river, through the rippling shallow watter
CB7
Steal across the thirsty border, bracero
EmD
Come bring your hungry bodies to the golden fields of plenty
CB7
From a peso to a penny, bracero
CDGEm
Oh, Welcome to California
AmDEm
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
Come labor for your mother, your father and your brother
For your sister and your lover, bracero
Come pick the fruit of yellow, break the flower from the berry
Purple grapes will fill your belly, bracero
Oh, Welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
And the sun will bite your body, as the dust will draw you thristy
While your muscles beg for mercy, bracero
In the shade of your sombrero, drop your sweat upon the soil
Like the fruit your youth can spoil, bracero
Oh, Welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
When the weary night embraces, sleep in shacks that could be cages
They will take it from your wages, bracero
Come sing about tomorrow with a jingle of the dollar
And forget your crooked collar, bracero
Oh, Welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
And the local men are lazy, and they make too much of trouble
Besides we'd have to pay the double, bracero
But if you feel you're fallin', if you find the pace is killing
There are others who are willing, bracero
Oh, Welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
This arrangement for the song is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song. You may only use this for private study, scholarship, or research.